Oh Joy!

We have a little baby coming this May 2nd in the Cavanagh family. O happy day!

Music

Everything about my church is just so wonderful. J and I were so lucky to find such a Jesus loving, bible teaching community that just feeds our souls and our minds and also extends out of the church doors to our daily lives. It really is a blessing. With this though comes one sad sacrifice, the music. I am not criticizing the music, our church does a wonderful job and it is always pretty but it is contemporary and I was raised singing the old old beautiful hymns. I know that a lot of what I desire is just to be able to know the songs and sing along, but even so, when the rare moment comes of an old hymn being chosen, my heart leaps for joy only to fall in disappointment again because the melody is changed to be more contemporary. I truly just come home with an emptiness in my heart and start singing the old beautiful hymns my grandmother began teaching me when I was 5 or 6 years old. Just a few excerpts of a few of my favorite hymns.

It is well with my soul

When Peace, like a river, attendeth my way, 

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, 

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Abide With Me

1. Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
   The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
   When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
   Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;

Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;

Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?

I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

O Love that wilt not let me go, 

I rest my weary soul in thee;

I give thee back the life I owe, 

That in thine ocean depths its flow

May richer, fuller be. 

The Old Rugged Cross

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, 

The emblem of suffering and shame;

And I love that old cross where the dearest and best

For a world of lost sinners was slain

Be Still My Soul

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In every change, He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

  Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—

    Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Low in the Grave He Lay

Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior; 

he tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave he arose; 

with a mighty triumph o'er his foes; 

he arose a victor from the dark domain, 

and he lives forever, with his saints to reign. 

He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

I think that a constant, repetitive theme for contemporary music is "I am worthless and need Jesus" or something along the lines of "you have taken away my sins at the cross and saved me." I am not belittling these statements but I think one of the things about old hymns that truly just bring us to tears or give us goose bumps or literally put a smile on our face the entire time we are singing is not only how beautiful the song is and being able to thank God for simply music in all its glory but the stories, the most beautiful sincere prayers, the perfect descriptions of our suffering and pain, being able to know and understand the sorrow or joy we are singing about. Another aspect of the old hymns that I think is lost in the newer age of music is the strong person of God, the might and power of God, His glorious and "mighty triumph o'er his foes." How wonderful to see not only his grace, steadfast love, and provision, but also his sword, his strength and his victory. 

This is my favorite hymn I believe and how simply beautiful and perfect it is. My grandmother taught it to us when we were so little with the most beautiful harmony and twice it has made me cry while singing. 

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,

Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,

When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,

I sing because I’m free,

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,

And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;

Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,

I sing because I’m free,

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,

When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,

I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,

I sing because I’m free,

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

A few new members...

Meet Daisy (the brown hen) and Pepper (the white and black). This past weekend J and I built a little coop (too little we decided) and we were given these two beautiful hens. 

Gunner is fascinated. The first morning I let him out and he saw them, he took off to the coop and circled it frantically trying to destroy these intruders. Since then I have knocked some sense into him and he keeps his distance but whenever I go over to the coop, he becomes the bird dog again. 

The first day we had them, they roamed free in our fenced yard as happy as could be until dusk came and they had no idea where to roost. We found them up on on our window sills and spent a good majority of the evening trying to catch them and put them up in their coop. So for now they are staying in their little coop for awhile to become familiar with their new home. 

J in the Kitchen

This past weekend has been fun with J and all of his cooking. I am lucky he grew up with a mom who made such delicious home cooked meals and I am thankful J loved to watch. Cooking together is one of our favorite activities and truly brings us so much joy. There is nothing like making something new, completely from scratch and then eating it! Last night, J made homemade pasta from scratch. It was so much fun, so easy (maybe not easy but simple) and it was sooooooooooooo goooooood! We didn't roll the pasta thin enough but that was OK because it was the yummiest kind of chewy pasta. We made a butter cheese sauce and had some fresh oregano from our garden. Oh my goodness we will never buy pasta from the store again! The Italians would be proud! (or think we are foolish for it not being second nature...)